UTSA is listed 25th in D1 Baseball rankings

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA has moved into the national top 25, with the Roadrunners on Monday coming in 25th in this week’s poll published by D1Baseball.com.

The notoriety follows the Roadrunners’ sweep of three games in the BRUCE BOLT College Classic in Houston. In games played at Daikin Park, UTSA defeated Ohio State, Coastal Carolina and Baylor.

UTSA (10-1) started the season with seven straight wins at home, including three in a row over the Dallas Baptist Patriots.

The Roadrunners’ only loss came last Tuesday when they fell 7-2 at Texas State in San Marcos.

UTSA will play four games on the road this week, at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday and at New Mexico State in three games starting Friday.

Baseball: UTSA beats Baylor 11-6 to sweep three games in Houston

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Caden Miller and Jacob Silva produced three RBIs each to back left-handed pitcher Conor Myles’ five innings of shutout baseball, and the UTSA Roadrunners downed the Baylor Bears 11-6 Sunday night in Houston.

Caden Miller. UTSA beat South Dakota State 17-4 in the Roadrunners' 2026 baseball season opener on Friday, Feb. 13, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Sophomore Caden Miller, shown here making a play in the season opener at Roadrunner Field, slammed a three-run home run to highlight a four-run second inning against Baylor in Houston. – File photo by Joe Alexander

With the win, the Roadrunners swept three games at the prestigious BRUCE BOLT College Classic (formerly the Astros Classic) and improved to 10-1 on the season.

After the Roadrunners knocked off the Big Ten’s Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday afternoon, they followed with a victory over the ninth-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday.

Coastal Carolina reached the College World Series finals last season.

Against Baylor, a member of the Big 12, UTSA of the American Conference scored four runs in the second, highlighted by a three-run homer from Miller.

The Roadrunners added two runs in the third and fourth innings and another in the fifth for a 9-0 lead.

Silva, a TCU transfer from San Antonio Clark High School, had an RBI double in the third inning and a two-RBI single in a two-run eighth.

Meanwhile, Myles (1-0) pitched effectively in his first start of the season. The lefty from Australia pitched five scoreless innings, allowing only three hits.

Myles struck out four and walked two.

Baylor starting pitcher Cade Hansen (0-2) took the loss. Hansen worked three and 1/3 innings, yielding seven runs on seven hits.

The Roadrunners are off to a fast start on the season, a year after they won a program-record 47 games and reached the NCAA Super Regional round of the playoffs.

Records

Baylor 6-5
UTSA 10-1

Coming up

UTSA at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

Wichita State men roll to an 84-67 victory over UTSA

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Jamir Simpson. UTSA men's basketball lost to Wichita State 84-67 in American Conference action on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA senior Jamir Simpson, in his last game at home, played all 40 minutes and scored 21 points against the Wichita State Shockers. During the game, Simpson surpassed 2,000 points for his college career. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Guard Kenyon Giles scored 28 points Sunday, and the Wichita State Shockers dominated on defense and on the boards, dealing the UTSA Roadrunners an 84-67 loss on Senior Night.

In their last home game and the second-to-last of the season, the beleaguered Roadrunners played with only six players and stayed within single figures of the Shockers for about 17 minutes.

Baboucarr Njie. UTSA men's basketball lost to Wichita State 84-67 in American Conference action on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Sophomore Baboucarr Njie produced 21 points and seven rebounds. Njie hit eight of 15 shots from the field. – Photo by Joe Alexander

After that, the visitors from Kansas gradually pulled away for their fifth straight victory.

The Roadrunners lost their fourth straight and their 21st in their last 22 games. They finished with 11 straight losses at home.

UTSA will take a record of 5-24 and 1-16 in the American Conference into its season finale a week from today at Houston against the Rice Owls.

Senior Jamir Simpson and sophomore Baboucarr Njie scored 21 points apiece to lead the Roadrunners. Simpson, from Lima, Ohio, eclipsed the 2,000-point mark for his college career.

Forward Daniel Akitoby produced 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Defense was the name of the game for the Shockers, who held to Roadrunners to 33.3 percent shooting, including 20.6 percent in the first half.

In addition, Wichita State won the rebounding battle, 55-38. Of their 55 boards, 21 came on the offensive glass.

The Shockers also blocked eight shots and produced four steals in improving their record to 20-10 and 12-5.

UTSA coach Austin Claunch acknowledged that his team played hard, but he added that the Roadrunners could have played better than they did.

“First half, our rhythm wasn’t there … We missed some that we normally make. Just wasn’t a great first half, and we’re playing a good team,” Claunch said.

Wichita State coach Paul Mills. UTSA men's basketball lost to Wichita State 84-67 in American Conference action on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Wichita State is bidding for a top-two finish and a triple bye into the American Conference tournament under third-year coach Paul Mills. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“We did a good job on Giles in the first half,” the coach added. “Now you’re trying to play catch up, so the game is getting a little more loose and he gets a one-pass three. Just can’t happen.

“We made too many mental mistakes to beat a good team.”

Giles, a 5-10 guard from Chesapeake, Va., is a Player of the Year Candidate in the American. He entered the game averaging 19.2 points.

The transfer from UNC Greensboro came in shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three. Against UTSA, he shot 11 of 27 from the field and six of 15 from long distance.

Giles hit five threes in the second half on eight of 14 shooting.

Records

Wichita State 20-10, 12-5
UTSA 5-24, 1-16

Coming up

UTSA at Rice, Sunday, 2 p.m.

Notable

UTSA’s 24 losses tie the 1985-86 team for second-most in program history.

Coach Don Eddy’s last team at UTSA finished 7-24. The program record for losses in a season is 27. Coach Brooks Thompson’s last team in 2015-16 finished 5-27.

Wichita State is bidding for a top-two finish in the American Conference. With one game to play, the Shockers are 20-10 on the season and 12-5 in conference. Tulsa is third at 23-6 and 11-5.

If Wichita State can finish in the top two, it would give the Shockers a triple bye in the tournament, all the way through to the semifinals.

That means they’d only need to win two games in two days at Birmingham to claim the conference’s postseason title and automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

First half

Dillon Battie scored 12 points, and Wichita State held UTSA to 20.6 percent shooting to build a 41-29 lead at intermission.

The Shockers broke the game open in the last seven minutes, defending, blocking shots and going on a 15-7 run.

Wichita State Kenyon Giles. UTSA men's basketball lost to Wichita State 84-67 in American Conference action on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Wichita State guard Kenyon Giles poured in 21 of his 28 points in the second half against UTSA. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Giles started the burst with a three-pointer. Battie connected on a couple of free throws and then 7-foot-2 Will Berg rebounded and hit a follow shot, making it a 33-22 ball game.

Wichita State blocked five shots in the half, including two by TJ Williams.

Giles, the Shockers’ leading scorer, knocked down a 14-footer for the last basket of the half.

The 5-10 guard from Chesapeake, Va., was held to seven points on three of 13 shooting in the opening 20 minutes.

UTSA women hold off Memphis to snap a three-game losing streak

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Idara Udo. UTSA beat Memphis 67-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Junior forward Idara Udo contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks as UTSA beat Memphis to split two games in the season series. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners executed four straight plays on the offensive end in the final minutes, scoring nine points in a row on those possessions, to down the Memphis Tigers 67-55 on Sunday afternoon in American Conference women’s basketball.

Having clinched a berth in the American’s postseason tournament on Saturday night when Tulsa beat Wichita State, UTSA (13-14, 8-8) still wanted to win on Senior Day and make amends for an earlier loss to Memphis.

Cheyenne Rowe. UTSA beat Memphis 67-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

After recognition in a pre-game ceremony on Senior Day, Cheyenne Rowe had 16 points and nine rebounds against the Memphis Tigers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

They also wanted to snap a three-game losing streak.

The Roadrunners succeeded on all fronts by building an early lead and then holding off the Tigers (9-20, 3-13) at the end with a late push led by Cheyenne Rowe, Idara Udo and Ereauna Hardaway.

Rowe and Hardaway were two of the UTSA seniors recognized in a pre-game ceremony.

“It was good to get back home and get on the winning side of the game,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “Just a fantastic effort, I thought, on our part to see seniors go out in a winning fashion.

“But, really, just our team getting back to winning ways. I’m super proud of the way we followed the game plan and stayed composed throughout the game.”

Udo led the Roadrunners with 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

Rowe, a 6-2 senior from Ontario, Canada, contributed 16 points and nine boards. Hardaway, a 5-8 guard from Jonesboro, Ark., delivered 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Guard Daejah Richmond paced the Tigers with 17 points and four assists.

Amauri Williams scored 11. With the loss, Memphis was eliminated from contention for the conference tournament.

UTSA switched up personnel in the starting lineup and then pulled out to an 18-10 lead after the first quarter.

Inserted as a starter, freshman Adriana Robles added speed to the lineup. She also produced nine points and five assists against only one turnover.

Robles also pulled down six rebounds on a day when UTSA dominated on the boards, 48-28.

Records

Memphis 9-20, 3-13
UTSA 13-14, 8-8

Ereauna Hardaway. UTSA beat Memphis 67-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Senior Ereauna Hardaway contributed 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists as UTSA avenged an earlier loss to Memphis. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Coming up

Tulsa at UTSA, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
UTSA at Rice, Saturday, March 7, 2 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners sit in sixth place in the American Conference standings leading into their last two games of the regular season. At 8-8, the Roadrunners are two games behind 10-6 and fifth-place Tulsa and one ahead of 7-9 Temple and Charlotte.

A seeding of fifth or sixth would be advantageous for UTSA in that it would give the team a first-round bye in the tournament. Falling to seventh or lower would be perilous, in that the No. 7 through 10 seeds don’t get a bye.

In other words, finishing seventh would mean UTSA would need to win five games in five days to win the postseason title and qualify for the NCAA tournament. Finishing fifth or sixth means that the team would need four wins in four days.

UTSA’s two remaining conference games will be challenging. The Roadrunners host Tulsa (18-10, 10-6) on Wednesday. They will finish on the road against regular-season champion Rice (26-3, 16-0) on Saturday afternoon.

Third quarter

The Roadrunners opened the second half on 12-3 run, expanding their lead to 42-28.

Undaunted, the Tigers started pressing after their own field goal makes and speeding up the action. At the end of the period, UTSA led 51-44.

Udo scored nine points in the quarter for UTSA, and Williams had 11 for Memphis.

First half

The Roadrunners rode an 18-point first quarter to a 30-25 halftime lead on the Tigers.

The half ended on a bizarre note, with a foul called to prompt a stop in the action with 13.2 seconds left.

Richmond responded by flipping the ball up to hit Hardaway. Hardaway retaliated by tossing the ball back at Richmond, drawing whistles from the referees.

Both players were hit with technical fouls.

The story of the half for the Roadrunners centered on their first-quarter scoring.

Limited to 13 points or less in their last five first quarters, they shot 41 percent to take an 18-10 lead on the Tigers.

Freshman Adriana Robles started at guard for the Roadrunners along with the other regular starters, including Hardaway, Mia Hammonds, Idara Udo and Cheyenne Rowe.

Damara Allen came off the bench.

Basketball: UTSA women and men to recognize seniors

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women have clinched a berth in the 10-team American Conference women’s basketball tournament, a team spokesman said Sunday.

The spokesman said the Roadrunners clinched on Saturday when Tulane defeated Wichita State.

UTSA will host the Memphis Tigers on Sunday at 3 p.m. Before the game, the Roadrunners will honor Cheyenne Rowe, Ereauna Hardaway and Nyayongah Gony on Senior Day.

Records

Memphis 9-19, 3-12
UTSA 12-14, 7-8

Coming up

Tulsa at UTSA, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
UTSA at Rice, Saturday, March 7, 2 p.m.

Men’s basketball

In the second game of a basketball doubleheader at the Convocation Center, the Roadrunners men will host the Wichita State Shockers at 7 p.m.

UTSA will hold a postgame ceremony on Senior Night, recognizing Stanley Borden, LJ Brown, Mo Njie and Jamir Simpson.

Records

Wichita State 19-10, 11-5
UTSA 5-23, 1-15
x-UTSA has been eliminated from tournament consideration

Coming up

UTSA at Rice, Sunday, March 8, 2 p.m.

College baseball: UTSA vs. Baylor today in Houston

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BRUCE BOLT College Classic
At Houston, Daikin Park

Results

Friday

UTSA beats Ohio State, 6-5
Baylor beats (25) Ole Miss, 6-5, 10 innings
(3) Texas beats (9) Coastal Carolina, 8-1

Saturday

(25) Ole Miss beats Ohio State, 8-0
UTSA beats (9) Coastal Carolina, 16-10
(3) Texas beats Baylor, 5-2

Sunday

(9) Coastal Carolina beat (25) Ole Miss, 9-2
(3) Texas vs. Ohio State, 2:05 p.m.
UTSA vs. Baylor, 6:05 p.m.

UTSA hits five home runs and downs ninth-ranked Coastal Carolina, 16-10

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UTSA left fielder Drew Detlefsen dives and makes a tumbling catch in the bottom of the eighth. Detlefsen also hit two home runs in a four-for-six performance at the plate. – Video from UTSA athletics.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Two standouts in UTSA’s run to the NCAA Super Regionals last year made an emphatic statement on Saturday in Houston.

With their play against the ninth-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Drew Detlefsen and Andrew Stucky suggested that the Roadrunners might just have the leadership to conjure up another magical season.

Detlefsen and Stucky both stroked four hits and combined for three home runs as the Roadrunners rolled to a 16-10 victory over the Chanticleers in Houston.

On Day 2 of the BRUCE BOLT College Classic, the Roadrunners jumped out to a commanding early lead and then cruised to their ninth win in 10 games.

Coastal Carolina, a 2025 College World Series finalist, fell to 6-4. The Chanticleers are playing without standout pitchers Cameron Flukey, Hayden Johnson and others and just couldn’t match up with the Roadrunners.

UTSA produced 18 hits and belted five home runs, including two by Detlefsen and one by Stucky. Lane Haworth and Josh Arquette also hit homers, with Arquette pounding a grand slam.

Detlefsen had an impact with his glove and his bat. Not only did he make a diving catch in left field in the eighth inning to blunt a Coastal Carolina rally, he also finished with four RBIs to match Arquette’s total.

Arquette, a newcomer who played last year at Panola College, leads UTSA with 17 RBIs for the season, while Detlefsen has 15.

Detlefsen paced the Roadrunners with 70 RBIs last season as the Roadrunners surged to 47 victories and championships in the American Conference regular season and the NCAA Austin Regional.

Roadrunners freshman righthander Jake Qualia (2-0) emerged as the winning pitcher against the Chanticleers despite yielding six runs, five of them earned, and nine hits in 4 and 2/3 innings of relief.

Chanticleers starter Ross Norman (1-2) took the loss after working 2 and 2/3 and giving up seven runs on eight hits. ‘

UTSA entered the second day of the classic with some momentum, coming off a 6-5 victory over the Ohio State on Friday.

Coastal Carolina, meanwhile, couldn’t get much going offensively in an 8-1 loss to Texas on Friday night.

The Roadrunners, batting in the top of the first, jumped out to a 3-0 lead nine pitches into the game, before many of the fans could walk from the concession stand to their seats.

Facing pitcher Ross Norman, UTSA’s Caden Miller led off with an opposite-field double to left field. Detlefsen followed with a bloop RBI single to left.

Haworth, the third batter in the game, launched a two-run homer to right field to make it 3-0.

The Chanticleers responded in the bottom half, scoring a run against UTSA starter Kendall Dove.

Dean Milos pounded a lead-off double down the left field line. The next batter, Trace Mazon, bounced a grounder down the line as the throw from third baseman Arquette went past Miller for an error. Milos scored and Mazon reached second.

From there, Dove got tough, retiring three straight. He fanned Rex Watson, popped up Walker Mitchell and got Blake Barthol on a fly ball to right.

In the top of the third, the Roadrunners responded again, scoring four runs against Norman to break the game open. Detlefsen singled and stole second base and then Haworth walked.

After a Coastal Carolina coach visited the mound, Stucky singled to load the bases. Arquette then unloaded with the grand slam into the left field seats to make it 7-1.

The Roadrunners added six runs in the top of the fifth, an outburst capped by Detlefsen’s two-run homer off Jaxon Appleman. When the homer landed in the seats above the high wall in left, UTSA held a 13-1 lead.

Coastal Carolina, a program with pride and a 2016 national title, retaliated in the bottom half. The Chanticleers knocked Dove out of the game and went on to score five runs. They added another in the sixth for good measure to make it 13-7.

Threatened by the Coastal Carolina rally, UTSA turned to Stucky and Detlefsen to put the game away.

Stucky hit a solo homer in the eighth, a high-arcing ball to left, and Detlefsen added another in a two-run ninth as the Roadrunners took a 16-7 lead.

Records

UTSA 9-1
Coastal Carolina 6-4

Coming up

UTSA vs. Baylor, Sunday, 6:05 p.m., in Houston (at Daikin Park)

Saturday’s scores

(25) Ole Miss beat Ohio State, 8-0
UTSA beat (9) Coastal Carolina, 16-10
(3) Texas beat Baylor, 5-2

Sunday’s schedule

(9) Coastal Carolina vs. (25) Ole Miss, 10:05 a.m.
(3) Texas vs. Ohio State, 2:05 p.m.
UTSA vs. Baylor, 6:05 p.m.

Notable

UTSA is playing without two of its best players, both of them out possibly for the season. Infielder Nathan Hodge hasn’t played at all and ace pitcher Rob Orloski threw only 23 pitches in the opener. Both are out with injuries to their throwing arms.


UTSA catcher Andrew Stucky smashes a solo home run in the eighth inning on a ball that glances off the bricks in left field. Stucky went four for five and scored three runs against Coastal Carolina. – Video from UTSA athletics

College baseball: UTSA vs. ninth-ranked Coastal Carolina in Houston

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BRUCE BOLT College Classic
At Houston, Daikin Park

Results

Friday’s scores

UTSA beats Ohio State, 6-5
Baylor beats (25) Ole Miss, 6-5, 10 innings
(3) Texas beats (9) Coastal Carolina, 8-1

Saturday’s games

(25) Ole Miss beats Ohio State, 8-0
UTSA vs. (9) Coastal Carolina, 3:05 p.m.
Baylor vs. (3) Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Sunday’s games

Coastal Carolina vs. (25) Ole Miss, 10:05 a.m.
Texas vs. Ohio State, 2:05 p.m.
UTSA vs. Baylor, 6:05 p.m.

College baseball: UTSA holds off Ohio State, 6-5, in Houston

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Pitcher Sam Simmons entered in relief in the top of the ninth inning and retired three straight batters on ground balls, as the UTSA Roadrunners quelled a rally and held off the Ohio State Buckeyes, 6-5, on Friday afternoon in Houston.

As a result, the Roadrunners will take an 8-1 record into their second game of the BRUCE BOLT College Classic on Saturday afternoon at Daikin Park against ninth-ranked Coastal Carolina.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark. UTSA beat Texas 7-4 on Sunday, June 1, 2025, to win the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Pat Hallmark’s UTSA Roadrunners improved to 8-1 after beating Ohio State 6-5 on Friday in Houston. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Daikin Park, the home of Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros, is hosting the multi-team event over three days through Sunday. UTSA is playing in the invitational for the first time following its run last season to the NCAA Super Regionals.

Coming from behind against the Buckeyes from the Big Ten Conference, the Roadrunners produced two-out hits in both the sixth and seventh innings, scoring two runs on each, to take a 5-3 lead.

Designated hitter Garrett Gruell stroked a two-RBI single in the sixth and then Lane Haworth blasted a two-run homer in the seventh. In the eighth, the Roadrunners manufactured a run, thanks to the speed of Christian Hallmark.

First, Hallmark was hit by a pitch. Next, he stole second. With one out, Diego Diaz came to bat for UTSA and chopped a ground ball to the right side.

When Ohio State first baseman Steven Cavaco touched first base for the second out of the inning, the coach’s son didn’t slow down on a mad dash for home plate.

Diving head first, he was tagged by catcher Mason Eckelman, but the ball popped out as the hard-charging base runner made impact with the glove. He touched home to make it 6-3.

In the ninth, the Buckeyes put their first two batters aboard against UTSA’s Mike DeBattista on an infield single by Miles Vandenheuvel and a double to left by Lee Ellis.

With runners at second and third and nobody out, Simmons, who played in high school at Houston-area Manvel, entered the game to pitch.

Ground balls by Eckelman and Noah Furcht pushed across one run apiece, but Simmons finished the game when Henry Kaczmar bounced out to second.

Defending American Conference champion UTSA (8-1) is scheduled to play Coastal Carolina on Saturday afternoon and Baylor on Sunday night.

Coastal Carolina, from the Sun Belt Conference, won the 2016 national title and last season reached the championship round before falling to LSU at the Men’s College World Series.

The Chanticleers ran into trouble Friday night in their first game, as the third-ranked Texas Longhorns hit four home runs and beat them 8-1. Coastal Carolina will take a 6-3 record into the UTSA game.

Records

Ohio State 5-3
UTSA 8-1

Coming up

UTSA vs. Coastal Carolina, Saturday, 3:05 p.m.
UTSA vs. Baylor, Sunday, 6:05 p.m.

The road to Houston

The Roadrunners opened the season with seven straight victories at home.

Included in the record start were three consecutive victories over Dallas Baptist, a perennial NCAA tournament team. Playing on the road Tuesday in San Marcos, they lost 7-2 to the Texas State Bobcats.

Lane Haworth. UTSA beat South Dakota State 17-4 in the Roadrunners' 2026 baseball season opener on Friday, Feb. 13, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Lane Haworth hit a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh inning to give UTSA a 5-3 lead. He blasted his first homer in a UTSA uniform into the right field seats at Daikin Park. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Ohio State started its season with three straight wins in Pensacola, Fla., against Saint Louis.

The Buckeyes next played four straight in Memphis. They lost the first and third games in the event to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and won the second and fourth games against the Memphis Tigers.

Notable

Starting pitchers for UTSA and Ohio State put on a good show. UTSA’s Connor Kelley battled with control problems early, but he made it through four and a third innings, allowing three runs on six hits.

Though Kelley walked four, he showcased a high-velocity fastball, striking out seven in a 105-pitch performance.

For Ohio State, Gavin Kuzniewski pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out five.

Roadrunners relief pitchers held their own.

After Noah Furcht blasted a one-out, solo homer off Kelley in the top of the fifth to give the Buckeyes a 3-1 lead, UTSA lefthander Christopher Gutierrez entered and struck out both batters he faced to close the inning.

Winning pitcher Mike DeBattista (2-0) worked three innings, yielding two runs on five hits and no walks, while striking out two. DeBattista was lifted in the ninth after giving up an infield single to Miles Vandenheuvel and a double to Lee Ellis.

Replacing DeBattista, Simmons secured his first save of the season after he retired Mason Eckelman and Furcht on ground balls, with both of them pushing runs across, before getting Henry Kaczmar on a bouncer to second.

Ohio State reliever Zak Sigman (1-1) took the loss after giving up the go-ahead, two-run homer to Lane Haworth, a Wichita State transfer who entered the game as UTSA’s leading hitter.

Both Haworth and Garrett Gruell finished with two hits and two RBIs apiece.

Ohio State out-hit UTSA, 11-7. The Buckeyes showed good pop on offense with five hits going for extra bases. Ellis had two hits, both of them doubles. Furcht homered into the Crawford boxes and drove in two in a two-for-five performance.

Also getting two hits apiece were Kaczmar and Maddix Simpson. Kaczmar singled up the middle in the top of the first inning to give Ohio State a 2-0 lead.

East Carolina rallies with free throws in the final seconds to beat UTSA, 82-81

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Jamir Simpson. UTSA lost to East Carolina 82-81 in American Conference men's basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA senior Jamir Simpson produced a team-high 22 points, 10 assists and five steals. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Senior guard Demitri Gardner grabbed an offensive rebound and hit three free throws with 3.3 seconds remaining Wednesday night to lift the East Carolina Pirates to an 82-81 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners in American Conference men’s basketball.

“Really tough loss,” UTSA coach Austin Claunch said. “Really proud of the six guys that played. Obviously we’re really banged up right now. Those six really battled and gave us a chance to win.

“Got to make one more play to win.”

In a game played in front of an announced 1,037 at the Convocation Center, the Pirates trailed by 11 points early in the second half and scored 11 in a row to get back into contention.

For the remainder of the game, UTSA held a one- or two-possession lead for most of the rest of the way. With 7.2 seconds remaining, Jamir Simpson knocked down two free throws to give the Roadrunners an 81-78 edge.

Austin Claunch. UTSA lost to East Carolina 82-81 in American Conference men's basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Austin Claunch said the Roadrunners played with only six healthy scholarship players. – Photo by Joe Alexander

From there, the Pirates inbounded and rushed it up the court. ECU guard Corey Caulker was fouled with 5.1 seconds left. With Caulker at the line, he made the first free throw and missed the next one.

The ball caromed high above the lane, where it appeared a UTSA player tipped it outside.

Gardner grabbed it and went up for a shot and was fouled by UTSA’s Dorian Hayes. Because he was outside the 3-point arc when he shot it, he was rewarded with three free throws.

At the stripe with ECU down by two and the game on the line, the former Division II player at Augusta (Ga.) made the first two to tie it.

At that point, UTSA called time. When the teams returned to the floor, Gardner hit the go-ahead free throw for the final point of the game.

UTSA inbounded and threw the ball to the other end, but a three by Hayes was defended well and off the mark. With the win, the Pirates (10-18, 5-10 in the American) kept alive their hopes for a conference tournament bid.

The Roadrunners (5-23, 1-15) have already been eliminated from tournament contention, but with the setback, they fell deeper into the cellar in the American. They have lost three in a row and 20 of their last 21.

In addition, they have dropped 10 straight at home, with the home finale set for Sunday night against Wichita State.

Their last win at the Convocation Center came on Nov. 18 when they defeated sub-NCAA Southwestern Christian, 103-70.

Claunch said that on Caulker’s missed free throw, the Roadrunners “had guys that had rebounds in there, and we’ve got to find a way to come up with that.

East Carolina coach Michael Schwartz. UTSA lost to East Carolina 82-81 in American Conference men's basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

East Carolina coach Michael Schwartz has seen his team rally to beat UTSA in San Antonio by one point in each of the last two seasons. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“Again, I don’t know who was where, exactly, and how it got tipped around,” he added. “I know we had the ball in our hands. It looked like the ball was up. You got to squeeze it … go make your free throws and win the game.

“And so, just a learning experience for some young guys. A tough one. A tough one to learn.”

With the win, East Carolina swept the season series against UTSA. Two weeks ago, the Pirates beat the Roadrunners 88-72 in Greenville, N.C.

Individuals

East Carolina – Jordan Riley, the second-leading scorer in the nation, produced 27 points. Riley connected on seven field goals, including three 3-pointers. He also made 10 free throws in 14 attempts. Gardner finished with 13 points, while Caulker had 12 and Giovanni Emejuru 11.

UTSA – Jamir Simpson led the Roadrunners with 22 points on eight of 11 shooting. He also passed for 10 assists. Hayes had 18 points and knocked down four three pointers. Daniel Akitoby scored 17 and made eight of 11 from the field, including three first-half dunks. Brent Moss finished with 10 points.

Records

East Carolina 10-18, 5-10
UTSA 5-23, 1-15

Coming up

Wichita State at UTSA, Sunday, 7 p.m.

Daniel Akitoby. UTSA lost to East Carolina 82-81 in American Conference men's basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Daniel Akitoby enjoyed a big game with 17 points and nine rebounds. He threw down three dunks and shot eight for 11 from the field. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Notable

UTSA’s heartbreaking loss felt a little like last year. On Feb. 8, 2025, the Roadrunners hosted the Pirates at the Convocation Center and had them beat, leading by four points in the final minute.

But after they committed two turnovers in the last 21 seconds, the Roadrunners gave up a three-point play to Jordan Riley and then a turnaround jumper to C.J. Walker. Ultimately, they fell to the Pirates, 80-79.

East Carolina is 8-0 all time against UTSA.

East Carolina guard Demitri Gardner joined the team at the semester break after spending the past three seasons at NCAA Division II Augusta University (Ga.)

He entered the UTSA game averaging 11 points and shooting 87.5 percent at the free-throw line. He was four of five at the stripe against the Roadrunners.

Claunch mentioned in his postgame news conference that UTSA is down to six healthy scholarship players.

“I’m really proud of how they fought,” the coach said. “Two guys (Dorian Hayes and Jamir Simpson) played 40 minutes. We’re down to six scholarship healthy players right now. And they deserved to win. But you got to finish. You got to finish everything.

“Played well enough to put ourselves in position, and like I say, you got to go make one more play. I’m proud of those six guys competing, the way they’re competing through everything.

“Really says a lot about who they are.”

Dorian Hayes. UTSA lost to East Carolina 82-81 in American Conference men's basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Dorian Hayes scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds. He hit four 3-point baskets. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, the American Conference’s player availability report listed six UTSA players as not available, either out for the game or for the season.

Two players who were not on the inactive list did not play against the Pirates. Those two were forward Kaidon Rayfield, a freshman forward who is on scholarship, and guard LJ Brown, a walk on point guard.

Both Rayfield and Brown played in UTSA’s last game, a 100-77 road loss on Sunday at Tulsa. Claunch said the 6-foot-9 Rayfield aggravated an ankle injury at Tulsa.

Moss, one of UTSA’s best players over the past month, suffered an apparent ankle injury in the second half against East Carolina.

“Right now he’s kind of playing on adrenaline,” Claunch said. “I’m sure he’ll be walking gingerly tomorrow.

“We won’t be doing anything tomorrow. Got to see about Friday. Probably do something (like) walk through. Same thing Saturday at this point. We got to make sure we’re at our highest energy level on Sunday night.”

After hosting Wichita State on Sunday, UTSA’s season finale is set for the following Sunday, March 8, at Rice University.

First half

The Roadrunners shot a sizzling 62 percent from the field and surged behind Akitoby and Hayes to a 43-24 halftime lead.

Akitoby knocked down a three-pointer and had three dunks against the East Carolina zone defense en route to 13 points.

Hayes also scored 13 on four of seven shooting. The freshman from Houston hit three from beyond the 3-point arc.

Riley, the second leading scorer in the nation, scored nine. He also had a couple of assists and three steals.

East Carolina's Jordan Riley. UTSA lost to East Carolina 82-81 in American Conference men's basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

East Carolina’s Jordan Riley, the second-leading scorer in the nation, produced 18 of his 27 points in the second half as the Pirates rallied for an 82-81 victory at the Convocation Center. – Photo by Joe Alexander